Google’s Cybersecurity Forecast 2026 predicts a surge in AI-fueled cybercrime, with attackers utilizing automation for phishing, voice cloning, and social engineering. Notable threats include prompt injection attacks targeting AI systems, which will be common as businesses deploy large language models (LLMs). Ransomware and data theft remain prevalent, exploiting software vulnerabilities and human errors, while nation-state cyber operations are expected to escalate. Countries like Russia and China will focus on long-term objectives, including election interference and espionage. Security measures must adapt to AI’s growing role, requiring new identity management and oversight for AI-driven operations.
| name | description | change | 10-year | driving-force | relevancy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AI-Driven Cybercrime | Adversaries using AI to automate cyberattacks and enhance threat capabilities. | From traditional cybercrime methods to AI-automated strategies for efficiency. | Cybercrime evolves into highly automated and sophisticated operations, challenging security measures globally. | Increased accessibility and capabilities of AI tools, making cybercrime easier to execute. | 5 |
| Shadow AI Tools Usage | Employees using unapproved AI tools, potentially leading to data security risks. | From careful management of tools to the unregulated use of shadow AI in workplaces. | Corporate environments might operate under constant risk, using unmonitored AI tools for critical tasks. | The demand for operational efficiency drives employees to use unapproved tools despite risks. | 4 |
| Rise of Prompt Injection Attacks | Manipulation of AI systems to ignore protocols and execute hidden commands. | From straightforward hacking methods to sophisticated tactics exploiting AI’s functionality. | Widespread vulnerabilities in AI systems could enable new forms of cybercrime and digital sabotage. | The complexity of AI systems creates opportunities for unique exploitation methods. | 5 |
| Automation in Security Operations | Security analysts using AI tools for faster threat response and decision making. | From manual analysis to automated systems assisting in threat detection and response. | Security operations become heavily reliant on AI, reshaping the roles of human analysts. | The increasing volume of cyber threats necessitates faster and automated response mechanisms. | 4 |
| Nation-State Cyber Operations Growth | Government-linked cyber activities expanding in scope and objectives. | From reactive national defense to proactive and offensive cyber strategies. | Increased geopolitical tension translates into sustained and sophisticated cyber warfare tactics. | Nation-states leveraging technology for strategic advantages in global conflicts. | 5 |
| Complexity of Blockchain Crimes | Criminals using blockchain technology to hide tracks and launder assets. | From traditional financial crime methods to exploitation of blockchain’s transparency. | Cybercriminals become adept at using emerging technologies to evade law enforcement. | The growth of financial activities on blockchain platforms provides new criminal opportunities. | 4 |
| Agricultural and Industrial Targeting | Cybercriminals focusing on enterprise software vital for operational technology. | From general attacks on data to targeted threats against critical industrial infrastructures. | Operational technology may face more frequent and severe disruptions from cyber threats. | Increased reliance on technology in industrial sectors makes them attractive targets for cybercriminals. | 4 |
| name | description |
|---|---|
| AI-Enhanced Cybercrime | Increase in AI-driven tools for cybercrime may lead to sophisticated automated attacks, making detection and prevention challenging. |
| Prompt Injection Attacks | Manipulation of AI systems through prompt injection could bypass safeguards, exposing organizations to hidden commands. |
| Ransomware Evolution | Combination attacks of ransomware and data theft could lead to higher disruption rates globally. |
| Shadow Agents | Unauthorized use of AI tools by employees poses data security risks, complicating governance and monitoring. |
| Nation-State Cyber Operations | Aggressive cyber operations by nation-states are expected to increase, targeting critical infrastructure and influencing geopolitics. |
| Exploitation of Software Supply Chains | Attackers targeting software supply chains could result in widespread exposure of vulnerabilities across numerous organizations. |
| Virtualization Platform Vulnerabilities | Increased focus on attacking virtualization platforms may lead to mass disruption of businesses operating multiple workloads. |
| Blockchain Operational Risks | Moving financial activity to blockchain may facilitate criminal operations, complicating asset traceability and recovery. |
| Industrial Cyber Targeting | Ransomware attacks on industrial environments could halt critical production processes, leading to severe operational impacts. |
| name | description |
|---|---|
| AI-Enhanced Cybercrime | Cybercriminals are leveraging AI for automation, enhancing the sophistication and scale of attacks, such as automated phishing and voice cloning. |
| Prompt Injection Attacks | Attackers manipulate AI systems through prompt injections, exploiting vulnerabilities to carry out hidden commands undetected. |
| Voice Cloning in Social Engineering | The use of realistic voice cloning has become prevalent for tricking individuals in vishing calls, bypassing traditional security measures. |
| Shadow Agents | Employees use unauthorized AI tools without awareness of data risks, pushing problematic practices underground instead of addressing them openly. |
| Evolving Ransomware Tactics | Ransomware combines data encryption, theft, and extortion tactics, evolving to exert pressure through public leaks and operational disruption. |
| Blockchain in Cybercrime | Criminals exploit blockchain’s transparency to obscure activities while hindering investigations, necessitating new forensic approaches. |
| Nation-State Cyber Operations | Government-backed cyber activities are expanding, focusing on espionage, disinformation, and infrastructure disruption with AI-generated content. |
| Securing Virtualization Platforms | With stronger endpoint defenses, attackers are targeting hypervisors, leading to increased attention on securing virtualization infrastructures. |
| AI Governance and Identity Management | As AI systems are integrated into workflows, stringent identity management and governance will be crucial for operational security. |
| name | description |
|---|---|
| AI-driven Cybercrime | AI is being used to automate cybercrime, including phishing, voice cloning, and disinformation generation. |
| Prompt Injection | Manipulation of AI systems to bypass safeguards and execute hidden commands, representing a significant attack vector. |
| AI Agents | Systems that can autonomously complete tasks, requiring new identity management and access controls. |
| Voice Cloning for Phishing | Affordable and realistic voice cloning technology employed in social engineering scams, complicating security measures. |
| Shadow AI Agents | Unauthorized use of AI tools by employees, leading to data risks and the need for governance. |
| Blockchain Cybercrime | Criminals exploiting blockchain for financial activities and obscuring their transactions while leaving traceable records. |
| Hypervisor Attacks | Targeting virtualization platforms to disable multiple workloads rapidly, indicating a shift in attack strategies. |
| AI-generated Propaganda | Use of AI-generated content to bolster narratives in information campaigns by nation-states. |
| name | description |
|---|---|
| AI-driven cybercrime automation | The use of AI to automate cybercrime activities, making attacks faster and more sophisticated. |
| Prompt injection attacks | A growing threat in AI systems where attackers manipulate AI to bypass safeguards, complicating detection and response. |
| Rise of shadow agents | Employees using unapproved AI tools, leading to data risks and challenges in maintaining security and compliance. |
| Targeting of virtualization platforms | Increased focus on attacking hypervisors to disable multiple workloads, necessitating greater security investments. |
| Social engineering evolution | More sophisticated social engineering tactics, particularly via voice phishing, making traditional defenses less effective. |
| Nation-state cyber operations expansion | Growing cyber activities linked to nations with specific objectives, including espionage and disruption tactics. |
| Blockchain as a double-edged sword | As financial activities move to blockchain, it aids both criminals in hiding and law enforcement in tracking. |
| Disruption in industrial environments | Increased targeting of enterprise software in industrial settings, leading to critical operational disruptions through ransom threats. |